RICHMOND, Va. — Leon Dangerfield likely knows downtown Richmond better than anyone.
A social service outreach specialist contracted through Venture Richmond, he's known as "The Connector," tasked with building relationships with people who may be unsheltered or displaying signs that they may be unstable, due to drug use or mental health problems, while on his walks through the city.
"I'm out here every day," Dangerfield said. "Whether it’s taking somebody who needs to get to Daily Planet for medical appointments, I would take them there and help them set up appointments, or somebody applying for SNAP benefits, or Medicaid, whatever the need is to get them from their current situation to a more stable one, that’s my role. And sometimes it’s just to add a laugh.”
We were on a walk with him in Richmond's Arts District when he noticed someone shouting nearby. It was of the many people he's formed relationships with during his time surveying the area for anyone who may need assistance.
"See that, right there," he said. "We're going to address that soon, but she's in psychosis right now. And some of them just want attention. Sometimes they just want you to listen. So, I'm the ear. If me listening to you can help you, then I'll be the ear."
There's a reason why Dangerfield does this every day.
"A person is more susceptible to listen to you if they can relate to you," Dangerfield said, reflecting on a time in his past when he, too, needed help connecting to resources. "Every step that I work with somebody on, it's almost like I get a piece of me back."
Dangerfield sometimes works alongside Richmond police.
More recently, he's been a point person for the Art District's Community Watch Group, made up of around 120 people representing around 85 businesses, first reported by Axios Richmond.
"There were some pretty severe instances in the summer," said Liz Kincaid, CEO of RVA Hospitality and owner of several restaurants in the area. "Crime had really ticked up, whether it was gun violence or knife violence. And through that, we were scared, and I think it brought us all together to really find some long-term solutions."
Kincaid said the group focuses on crime prevention through strong communication with businesses, working with police, and calling on Dangerfield rather than police, if needed.
“Somebody might come in here looking for a glass of water, but we want to connect them with the Daily Planet, or they might need a jacket, and like Taylor’s Barbershop and Parlor across the street is doing a coat drive and a food drive all winter long. So, it’s also like, being able to say, talk to Leon, he’ll hook you up long term, helping you find housing, but in the meantime, why don’t we get you a jacket, why don’t we connect you with Anita over at the Daily Planet? Why don’t we bring all those resources together?" Kincaid said.
Dangerfield said he's called throughout the city at least five to six times a week.
“What I do is I build a relationship with that population and I’m able to calm them down. And it’s my job to find an alternative, as opposed to them getting arrested for something that they’re doing, unknowingly," Dangerfield said. "A lot of people see the badge and the uniform and they automatically think I’m going to jail, but they don’t realize that even RPD has taken CIT training, Crisis Intervention Training, to help navigate those to a different outcome. And then they also have Project Recovery that rides with them to answer overdose and mental health calls."
Both Kincaid and Dangerfield say the community watch group, and Dangerfield's watchful eye on this community, has proven successful.
"They're people, just like you and I. And if I take that person and treat them like their issues, I can't get through to them, but if I treat them like a person, then I can make headway," Dangerfield said.
"I think a lot of people from the suburbs hear 'downtown' and they're like, 'Oh, I'm not going down there.' But we want to say we're open for business, the lights are on, we're using our 311 app and reporting it when the light does go out. You're safe down here," Kincaid said.
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